Computing

10 Things I Always Forget How To Do In PowerPoint

Ten Easy Solutions for PowerPoint Tasks

From Wendy Russell, former About.com Guide

Do you ever forget how to do a certain task in PowerPoint -- one that seemed so easy at the time? Here are ten solutions to things I always forget how to do in PowerPoint, and maybe you do too.

1. Copy a Design Theme to Another Presentation

Use PowerPoint 2007 Format Painter to copy design theme

Copy design theme to another presentation © Wendy Russell

Rather than recreate the wheel, or locate the specific design theme in PowerPoint, it is sometimes quicker to copy the design theme of a current presentation to a new presentation. This way you can copy the complete color scheme that may have been altered from the original design theme in PowerPoint.

2. How Can I Replace All the Fonts in My Presentation At One Time?

Replace fonts in PowerPoint © Wendy Russell

PowerPoint has a convenient feature that allows you to make a global change to all the fonts in the presentation at one time.

3. Retain Photo Placement on PowerPoint Slide While Resizing

Resize PowerPoint photos and keep them in the same location © Rachel Russell

How many times have you resized a photo on a PowerPoint slide and then must take the extra step of moving it back to the correct location? This shortcut will allow you to resize your photo and keep it still in the same place on the slide.

4. Hide Background Graphics on the Design Theme

Hide background graphics in PowerPoint 2007 © Wendy Russell

Sometimes you want to show your slides with no background graphics. This is often the case for printing purposes. The background graphics will remain with the design theme, but can be hidden from view.

5. Write on PowerPoint Slides During a Slide Show

Write on PowerPoint slides during a slide show © Wendy Russell

A question from a reader:
"I want to underline a few words, or write on a slide during a PowerPoint slide show. How do I do this?"

6. Loop a PowerPoint Slide Show

Loop a PowerPoint slideshow to run continuously © Wendy Russell

PowerPoint slideshows are not always used by a live presenter. Slide shows are often set to loop continuously so they can run unattended. They can contain all the content that the viewer might need to know -- such as information about a product that is being demonstrated at a trade show.

7. Resume Your PowerPoint Show After a Pause

A question from a reader -
"At times, it is necessary to stop the presentation and resume after a short break. If the PowerPoint presentation is not completed, how can I, as the presenter, do other things during the break and then resume the slide show at the same slide that was on screen before the break, without starting the presentation all over again?"

8. Modify the PowerPoint 2007 Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is located right next to the Office button at the top left of the PowerPoint 2007 screen. This toolbar contains buttons for a few of the most commonly used tasks in PowerPoint. However, it is totally customizable. Add buttons for the tasks that you perform most often, to speed up creating your presentations.

9. Adjust PowerPoint 2007 Line Spacing in Text Boxes

Using the line spacing feature in PowerPoint allows you to avoid reducing the font size if it is necessary to squeeze in just that little bit more text on the slide. However, always be aware that less text on a PowerPoint slide is always the goal.

10. Hide Sound Icon on PowerPoint 2007 Slide Shows

Many PowerPoint slide shows play with accompanying sounds or music that starts automatically, either for the whole slide show, or just when one slide is shown. However, you don't want to show the sound icon on the slide and you may have forgotten to select the option to hide the sound icon during the show.